What a week for the young Canadian Milos Raonic. Not only has the 20-year-old slugger won three consecutive straight set matches to reach the semifinals, he just got a free pass into the San Jose finals. The ever-fragile Gael Monfils, who was to play Raonic later today, had to withdraw from the tournament late last night because of a wrist ailment.

“Since the Australian Open I’ve had this pain,” Monfils said following his quarterfinal win Friday over Tim Smyczek. “We decided to stop for between four and six weeks. It’s been a month and a half that I’ve had this pain. I can’t hit my backhand. I tried, but my backhand is very soft. I have a better backhand than I showed here — more powerful.”

Monfils is expected to be out 4-6 weeks which includes Memphis, Acapulco and David Cup. He hopeful to be ready for Indian Wells.

And that withdrawal gives Raonic a rare bye/walkover into the his first (or many) ATP final, where he’ll play either Fernando Verdasco or Juan Martin Del Potro.

Earlier in the day it was Raonic getting through his fellow 20-year-old Richard Berankis 6-4, 7-6. Richard has some good hands, and he’s a little Ferrer, but the he just couldn’t match the power of Milos.

“I was doing well with mixing it up especially in the second set,” Milos said after 12-ace effort. “The first set I was surprised by how much speed I was putting behind the serve. In the second set I took some pace off and was able to move it around the box a bit more.”

Also yesterday, Juan Martin Del Potro smacked Lleyton Hewitt 6-2, 6-3. Is the real Del Potro back? Maybe not, but that kind of result is very encouraging and maybe the big Argy will be back to full strength sooner than I expected (pre summer!).

“I need matches to play better,” Del Potro said. “To play four or five matches this week would be fantastic for the comeback. I hope to be in good shape for tomorrow. I am feeling good this week but I am still far off my best level. I can play better and I am getting better slowly. I am working day by day for the future and I hope to be in good shape for a real comeback.”

“It’s going to be the toughest match for me this week,” Fernando said of facing Delpo. “He really played unbelievable with Lleyton and I think it’s going to be a very difficult match. I hope tomorrow that he won’t have his best day and maybe make more mistakes than he did today and I can take advantage of that, be able to win, and be back in the final again here.”

In Rotterdam today, Robin Soderling meets Vicktor Troicki in one semifinal with the winner playing JW Tsonga in the final. Tsonga already registered a 6-4, 7-6 win over Ivan Ljubicic. Sounds like the courts are playing quick in Rotterdam!

And on the clay in Costa do Sauipe, a very interesting matchup for the Brazil Open final today pits Nicolas Almagro against the other breakout star of 2011, Alexander Dolgopolov. Almagro is a former champion of the event and beat “The Dog” on clay at the French Open. But The Dog got him back in Shanghai late last year and he’s riding the wave of the Australian Open quarterfinal, might he be ready to claim his first ATP title in his first final?

And congratulations to Kim Clijsters for restoring some order to WTA rankings. Kimmy’s win yesterday in Paris will send her past current No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki. Clijsters has won the last two Grand Slam whereas Wozniacki, who has accumulated her points in the smaller WTA events, has even reached a Slam final since her 2009 US Open runner-up.

Clijsters will play Kaia Kanepi for the right to meet Petra Kvitova in the final. Might this Kvitova girl be a future No. 1? Very possible.

Tennis Channel in the U.S. is schedule to have live coverage from San Jose and Rotterdam today, in addition to the Paris women’s event.

Very happy for Raonic, of course, but not happy for La Monf. Hope he is better soon, hate to see someone walk into a final, but I think Raonic had a good chance to get there with the win anyhow. Go Milos!

Tsonga is on a roll, beats the bald bomber. Tough to say who will win Rotterdamn, but still lean towards Soda.

@Kimmi. My thoughts exactly. Rafa takes a lot of sh*t about how he beats his body up and won’t last long, but Le Monf does a pretty good job beating himself up as well! He is an amazing athlete, like a “rubberband man” the way he stretches himself all over the court, splits a la Clijsters, and slides all over the hard courts as if he was playing on clay. Hence, injuries galore. Too bad because his athletic ability is unbelievable and amazing to watch.

Kimmi, yes, but don’t you think Troicki has a block against top ten players? To me, that is part of it.

Leo Vixen, it is interesting, though, that some “elastic band” players like Nole and Kim C rarely seem to get injured. With Monfils it could be something else? Don’t know, but sad about his wrist. Clearly that is a more problematic injury tennis-wise than a torn thigh muscle, isn’t it? Look at Delpo, he missed nearly a year. And when Murray’s wrist was injured, he missed months too.

Soda had some serve today. And then just like that it was break point- no set point- no MATCH point for soda and he takes it on second chance. Troicki played fine, just not good enough.
Soda’s celebration- looks like he is stoke to be in the final! Haha

i dont think tsonga has a good record against soda, also he is not playing as good as pop man…bald bomber had the second set in his raquet, was up 5-3, serving for the set..there was lots of choking. tsonga came back and didnt look back.

jane got the prediction for rotterdam spot on. soda pop for the title :)

Also, re: Troicki – he didn’t beat top tens in the DC. He beat Simon, I think, who was then struggling, and then in the final game he beat Llodra, though Viktor did play very well in that match, totally voiding Llodra’s volleying. But to me with Troiki it’s a belief thing against the top-ten guys; and it’s not just Nole. He had match points on Rafa in Tokyo.

Go JAM Go!!! Win. Wouldn’t it be great if Murray bros teamed up and won a slam? Might take a lot of pressure off Andy. Then, again, might not. ; / Jamie already has that Wimbledon title in mixed doubles with Janko, I guess.

maybe andy and jamie can pull off a break back here, would be nice.
thanks jane, all the links for rotterdam are playing a replay of ljub and tsonga, would have liked to see murrays v petzchner/melzer :(
i guess life ain’t easy if you’re a big doubles fan
i am not, but i guess this is the life they live everyday

Haha, a serve and a dropper get dolgo out of trouble from a break!
It’s time for dolgo to stop giving it away, I think he should pull back a second cause be is not hitting his attempted winnera in. Let Nico make some mistakes for a game.

Actually, I don’t really know if being more conservative is the solution here, cause he is missing on simple shots or just in the middle of the ralley. What’s the advice for “just start hitting your balls in”

just a huge DOG supporter here and wanted him to win, not that i thought he had much chance against nikki pooo hahahaa

i;m a sore loser. there is no real reason why i shouldn’t like nikki poo…did he beat federer, no. maybe he beat gulbis…..dunno.

but i ordered pizza and waiting for the delpo verdasco match.

making my pick here perfectly clear…i think verdasco will win.

but i’m not freaking out like i was earlier about dolgo…..so i can sit back and relax…enjoy. no expectations from delpo. he’ll get enough pts from making a semi to put him…maybe into top 100-200? he only has i think 65 points last time i looked?

Fernando is kind of hot and never beat rafa 62 62 62 in a gs so I’m rooting for him. Although I think when he stops playing tennis he will be over 300 lbs. Serena too. Anyway, I generally root for him so I will tonight.

I always feel myself pulling for almagro. I think he’s a great player. Not sure why he can’t move his game off the red dirt but as a clay courtbplayer he’s as tough as they come. And I feel like he sits on thebshadows of the othernhigh profile Spanish guys, ferrer, rafa, hot sauce etc.

Would be nice to see tsonga win a tourney but I think it’s sodas match.

Went to the gym today and quad felt ok so contemplating trying to play tomorrow. Kaiser says I’m nuts. I’m beginning to think I am a tennis junkie, playing and watching.

contador, re: not liking almagro- i don’t every think i have ever had communication with an almagro fan. he’s cool with me, ive cheered for him a few times, but maybe something lacking in game/personality its easy easy to not like him?
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Ahhhhhh! delpooooooooooo! i never cheered so hard in my heart for a big little bugger (besides fed). this whole comeback thing is really pulling on the heart strings. not to mention that if he comes through on it, we’re in for some SUPER tennis!

kimberly – yes, i am hot sauce fan but delpo is just few knots up. he is my third fav after murray (if somebody can have so many favs..sometimes i confused myself..milos, dolgo, dimitrov are joining my list). federer is my numero uno though…go fed anytime.

like dari, this comeback thing is making me go nuts. delpo was impressive yesterday against hewitt..but..but..should not have my hopes too high. hewitt is not the same.

now if that FH is firing..watch out hot sauce (he has the FH of his own too)..

tough match.

My prediction is delpo win. all you guys who picked verdasco..you are going to burn :)

thark, re your “sad” theory: has any one ever heard that years ago they used to think that very tall people suffered “melancholy” more than average height. Does this ring a bell to anybody? I always think of JMdP for that.
Anyway, he will be fine, its early yet.

seriously though, look at his posture – he carries himself with a shorter stature than his actual height. if you compare to nando who is very upright and alert it is quite noticeable. he looks almost dejected.

Good match, indeed. The “hot” romantic is just a little steadier than the melancholic one tonight. But well played by Delpo anyhow. Though do you sometimes feel he goes cross court when he should go up the line? Maybe it is just because I watch Nole so much

Jeepers Kimberly, you’re two for three, assuming Nando keeps this good play up tomorrow, he should beat Raonic, and then you just need Soda to oust Tsonga. I am hoping for Mr. Dimples in that one, go Soda pop!

Envy u lot watching S. American tennis :( Still have watched Rotterdam so can’t complain.
Head says Sod, heart Tsonga :) really surprised at those H2Hs jane.
Hoping Kvitova puts up a good show today. She is a star in the making :) But expect Kim to win. She has looked so strong this week, once she has found her rhythm.

thark, a very civilised 2pm here in UK :) and a horrible day, so perfect for watching tennis. At least Tsonga has woken up in second set but I can’t see him winning. His backhand is right off today and Soderling looks unbearable.
Oh well if it finishes quickly can watch WTA ….looking on bright side ;)

thark… just saying u r….;)
Well played Iron Man Soderling!
Gregoire G. Where r u Kvitova won. OMG that WAS one where I was torn in two, but Petra…yay!
jane: Kim still wearing THAT dress :( She must’ve signed some awful ungettoutable contract I think.

Paris city has committed to the following in its project:
- surface extension of 60% = 5 more hectares
- cover of the central court (to avoid rain but no plain at night)
- construction of a new stadium of 5000 seats
- destruction of old court #1 and put a grass instead à la Wimbledon hill
- concession for 99 years and a rent fee that is indexed on the gross revenue